The scoop on 'Wayside Gardens'

Company Comment, posted on January 26, 2006:   Our company is committed to delivering quality stock, premium varieties, and good value for your gardening investment. We lead the industry in introducing new varieties to our customers, thanks in part to our unique strategic relationships with outstanding developers and growers. For example, Proven Winners(REG) (www.provenwinners.com), Color Choice(REG) (www.colorchoiceplants.com), and Monrovia(REG) (www.monrovia.com) all work closely with us, as seen in their ads in major gardening periodicals throughout the year. We are gardeners ourselves, and we understand what you want most. We ship the largest, healthiest plants for your dollar, and strive to get them to you in top condition at the right time for planting. We’re even making it easier for you to get your plants faster by offering a new low-cost upgrade to two-day airfreight shipping. And we always enclose a free Gardening Guide, with special tips for helping your plant thrive in those first crucial days after it arrives on your doorstep. Our company further demonstrates our love of gardening by serving as a major sponsor for the weekly gardening show, GardenSMART, seen on PBS stations around the country (www.gardensmart.tv). Supporting these lively and informative programs is just another way that we can say “thank you!” to the gardening community that we’ve been a part of for almost a century. We’d love for you to learn more about our company and its history ([HYPERLINK@en.wikipedia.org]), or for you to visit our national headquarters at 1 Garden Lane, Hodges, South Carolina ([HYPERLINK@en.wikipedia.org]). But most of all, we hope you will place an order with us and let us serve you personally. We welcome your input and questions, either via our online comment form (www.parkpr.com/feedback) or by calls to our customer service representatives and horticulturists (800-845-1124). Our Guarantee : All products to be high quality, true to type, shipped properly, and to perform as advertised. If this is not the case, notify us as soon as possible, and we will gladly resolve the issue, offer gardening advice, or provide a merchandise credit. Please understand that we cannot accept responsibility for the results of extreme weather, neglect, unforeseeable acts of nature, or ignoring our hardiness zone recommendations.

Feedback History and Summary   258 positives 107 neutrals 245 negatives

Comments:

Rating Author Content Positive libraryman (2 reviews) On May 14, 2008, libraryman Maryville, TN wrote: I made my order with Wayside Gardens before finding this website and reading these reviews. After reading all of the negative reviews, I was ready to go to battle. I ordered 4 coreopsis, 4 ceratostigma plumbaginoides, and 4 sisyrinchium (blue-eyed grass). All plants arrived together when promised and all plants look great! I don't know if I'm just lucky, or just got plants that are in season and healthy. The coreopsis are a variety that I have not been able to find locally so I'm very happy with my purchase. After reading all of these negative reviews, I will probably take a "wait and see" attitude before ordering from Wayside Garden again to see whether the reviews improve for this company. Yet, I can say that this first experience for me was good. Negative floraphile (1 review) On May 14, 2008, floraphile Hingham, MA wrote: This company does not unconditionally guarantee their plants, unlike most other mail order garden centers and nurseries. I STRONGLY recommend doing business elsewhere. Wayside apparently will only warranty their plants for the duration of a season. For perennials that fail to appropriately overwinter, they do not provide a replacement or a credit. This is in stark contrast to most other companies and should be a significant deterrent to your doing business when other companies provide an extensive guarantee. This begs the question as to WHY they do not guarantee- and I suspect it is because it is not uncommon that their questionable products don't survive past one season. I am deeply disappointed in the rude treatment I received from customer service and in the sub-standard Wisteria Sinensis I received (that did not survive the winter). In this case, I'm quite certain this was an issue with the plant as the other Wisteria are doing quite nicely. White Flower Farm, Dutch Gardens and Klehm's Song Sparrow... all of them guarantee their products unconditionally. Shame on you Wayside Gardens and on your unacceptable business practices. I, for one, will take my gardening ambitions (and sizable landscape budget) elsewhere. Negative MsRobbie (1 review) On May 12, 2008, MsRobbie Bellingham, WA wrote: I sent this e-mail to Wayside Gardens earlier today: Dear Wayside Gardens: My order arrived, as promised, on May 8. The plants [Gaillardia grandiflora 'Goblin'] may live, but I'll be surprised if they do. Let me tell you what happened, and offer a suggestion. The plants arrived on Thursday, May 8, at 4:15 pm. I opened the box and carefully removed about a ton of styrofoam peanuts from the top. I saw two plants, gingerly lifted them out, and took them outside to my patio. I removed another ton of styrofoam, found another two plants, and took them to the patio. Another ton of styrofoam, the last two plants, and out to the patio. Below the last layer of styrofoam I could see something in plastic that appeared to be a re-order form. I left it in the box. The plants arrived in terrible condition. Most were hideously bent; all had brown leaves. Even the green leaves were sagging. I carefully removed the straw that was packed around the top of the containers and it was clear the soil was bone dry. I figured I had better get them into the ground and watered as quickly as possible. Fortunately, I always plant things as you indicate they should be planted: I dig a hole about 1 1/2 times the depth of the container, put Miracle Grow potting soil in the bottom of the hole, water it thoroughly with water mixed (1 Tbsp per gallon) with Vitamin B-1 for plants. I also dig the hole about twice the circumference of the container. I set the plant into the hole, put more Miracle Grow potting soil around it, and water it thoroughly again with the Vitamin B-1 water mix. I planted all six plants that way. When I had finished, and was still very worried about their chances for survival, I came back inside, removed the remaining styrofoam peanuts, and lifted out the enclosure. It was only at that point I found your instructions saying NOT to plant them for three days, but to give them plenty of water and time to adjust first. Recommendation: Put the planting and care guide at the TOP of the box, not the bottom. Insert something in red at the top of it that says STOP! READ THIS BEFORE UNPACKING PLANTS! I've been following carefully your after-planting directions, but I'm not at all sure these plants are going to survive. Unfortunately, if they do not, it will be my fault for not following your directions. If only I had known in time that there were directions to be followed. Roberta Walker Bellingham, WA Positive ellenmurray (1 review) On May 10, 2008, ellenmurray Louisville, KY wrote: I just received 12 plants of the plumbago groundcover. and they were gorgeous. This is not an easy plant to find, and these plants were what I would expect had I bought them locally. They were fresh and arrived safely packaged. Negative Herrjaeger (1 review) On May 9, 2008, Herrjaeger Summerville, SC wrote: I live in Charleston, SC-last week I ordered (online) a number of Agapanthus, and 2 clematis plants from Wayside, and placed the order on Saturday May 3, 2008(order # XXXX999-details are for Mr. Johnson's reference, vis-a vis his comments on previous posts). I paid for 2 day shipping to try to make sure they arrived without delays in a post office or the like. My order was confirmed, and the confirmation indicated that the Agapanthus and one Clematis were scheduled for "Spring" shipping, and the rest of the order was scheduled for shipping in the Fall. I interpreted this to mean that the Clematis for Fall probably would not do well if planted at this time of the year, but that the Agapanthus and other Clematis would ship. When I checked on the status of the order online, it confirmed the partial shipment slated for the fall, and indicated that the rest of the Agapanthus and the other Clematis were "In Stock and reserved." There was no further information about the status of the order, and no explanation anywhere of what "in stock and reserved" meant. After a week with no further information, or any plants, I contacted customer service today. The representative that I spoke with told me that it took "three to five days" to process the order before shipping. She reminded me that this was their busy time of the year, but she refused to tell me when the order would ship, but reminded me that they did not work weekends. When I reminded her that three to five days had already passed, and asked her when she believed it would ship, she told me that the plants were undergoing "inspection" (same reply as noted in comments in the thread below" and she couldn't really tell me when shipping was likely to occur. She mentioned repeatedly that this was happening because I had placed an Internet order, suggesting that by placing order by telephone would have resulted in being given additional information Re: shipping when the order would've been placed. I was then cut off. I called back to customer service, and spoke to a very polite representative, and asked her to please forward my call to a supervisor. She checked to see if any were available, and told me that none were available at this time but that if I gave my name, and telephone number, that I would receive a call back from a supervisor when one was available. I left my order number, name, and telephone number with her. I have ordered items from catalog sources for 30 years, mostly with excellent results and excellent service, including both garden/plant supply companies, as well as other merchandise. In all those years, I have had few experiences with such companies where delays in shipping did not result in a prompt phone call or e-mail from the Company to me informing me that an item was out of stock, or that there was to be a delay in shipping. Most Internet orders I have ever placed typically are followed by e-mail confirmation, and some indication of expected shipping date, and often followed by updates (often daily updates) informing me of changes in shipping date or expected delivery dates. The only e-mail I received from Wayside Gardens after my order was placed, was an advertisement to buy more plants from them. I got the feeling with Wayside Gardens that I was expected to call to find out about shipping dates, even though they could not provide any information that helped me to know when my order would actually be shipped. After having taken the time to review the positive, neutral, and negative comments on this site regarding Wayside Gardens, many of the negative comments, and several of the neutral comments indicate recurring themes. These include unreliable shipping dates, blaming delays on "inspections," generally poor or unreliable communication regarding orders, and boilerplate comments by Mr. J. Johnson on most negative comments, suggesting that deficiencies in information provided to this forum preclude his ability to help resolve outstanding issues. I'm waiting to hear back from the supervisor. Positive Rosie (1 review) On May 8, 2008, Rosie West Simsbury, CT (Zone 5a) wrote: I recently ordered a rose bush from Wayside and it arrived in a timely fashion and in wonderful condition. It's healthy and growing. I'm happy with the service. Positive Gardenia731 (2 reviews) On May 8, 2008, Gardenia731 Lakeland, FL (Zone 9a) wrote: Placed an order of (1) Jackmanii- Clematis (2) Daylilies- Stella De oro and received (2) Niobe- Clematis for free. The order was placed 04/28/08 late evening. The items were shipped on 05/06/08 and received 05/08/08- AM hours. I was thrilled firstly about the offer of 2 FREE Niobe clematis. I am impressed with company's service, shipment arrived as stated on order form.The plant quality and meticulous packaging, clean, carefully packed, the box was not dented, ripped or damaged in anyway. After reading a lot of the bad experiences from some of you. I thought I was going to receive a pile of dirt in a box especially when I began thinking of the FREE plants. Again I am very impressed with Wayside Gardens. Instructions on how to plant and care for the plants were included with pkg, which I found very helpful being a novice at gardening. Looking forward to placing my next order. Hopefully I will be lucky enough to catch them on another fab offer. Thank you Wayside Gardens. Negative jayt36 (6 reviews) On May 8, 2008, jayt36 Ashland, PA (Zone 6a) wrote: I don't think I have ever had such a frustrating experience with a mail order company. On March 3,'08 I ordered a Buddleia Davidii and a Buddleia Alternifolia from this company. On April 23, '08 the Buddleia Davidii shipped and I was informed that the alternifolia was not available. I checked their web page which noted that the B A was "sold out". This regardless of my having ordered in March. I was given a "refund due" of $11.95 but of course no reference number. I searched their catalog trying to find a suitable substitute (in the same price range). I found a Rose Don Juan for $9.95. When I called to place an order for this item, I was informed that I would be charged an additional $4.95 for shipping and handing. (Let's see if I have this correct- $11.95 refund +-$4.95 for the replacement order= $16.90 for a $9.95 order -on which the shipping had already been paid. Now this is where the story gets unbelievable. After waiting about a week, I checked my order status and to my surprise found that the order was "to be shipped". When I called to tell them I wanted the product now as it is the proper planting season, I was assured by Lilly that it would be expedited. I checked the status again in a few days and it was still "to be shipped". I called again and spoke to Katherine who assured me that she would personally see that the order was expedited. In the meantime I sent an email to customer service detailing my problems. No reply. So I sent an email to Mr. J. Johnson, still no reply. So when I check my online status, I find that my order has been canceled. I called again and got a very nasty guy who informed me that indeed the order had been canceled and a refund made to my credit card and I should "have a nice day" and then he hung up. Well, I checked my credit card and no refund has been made. What's wrong with these people? Don't they realize that their jobs depend on their customers' satisfaction? Well, I for one will not help to guarantee their job security. I will never order from them again. Negative blubaugh (1 review) On May 7, 2008, blubaugh Washington, VA wrote: Wayside is poorly run and does not honor its warranty. I ordered several shrubs, two of which quickly died. I wrote to ask for replacements. No response. I wrote again. No response. I wrote a third time, expressing dissatisfaction. They responded with a call saying it would be sent out during planting season. It never arrived. I wrote again. They called again, said it would be sent out during planting season. This was getting to be repetitious. Two and a half years they strung me along. No replacement plants ever arrived. This was not the first time their products died, but it was the first time I made a claim under warranty. It turned out to be worthless. Negative kajatty (3 reviews) On May 4, 2008, kajatty Frisco, TX wrote: I ordered several times from them and each time there was a problem. Just a few examples are listed below. I ordered an iris from them, which showed up rotten. I did get a replacement. I signed up for FedEx express shipping, but the plants came FedEx Post, which was even slower than regular mail. I paid extra for express shipping I did not get. I also ordered Wisteria which were small in diameter, but I did not complain. I ordered another as a gift and after two weeks it still did not ship. Several emails and phone calls later, and after asking to speak to a supervisor, I was finally told the plant is not available. Each time I communicated with them, I was told that the nursery manager was "reviewing the order" or "inspecting". If I had been told that the plant was not available the first time I emailed them, I would not have wasted precious spring gardening time. I finally went to a local nursery and found a huge, multi-vine, large-diametered, flowering Wisteria for the same price. I feel I have been patient with them, but I will never use Wayside again. They overcharge you and they don't deliver! Positive MarvinRocks (1 review) On May 2, 2008, MarvinRocks Rapid City, SD wrote: Plants shipped on time, arrived on time and were in excellent condition. Customer service was very helpful and accomodating when I called and inquired about my order as my computer had timed out and I wasn't sure if my order had gone through. They were careful not to ship the order until it was safe in our zone to do so. I can't wait to get them in the ground! Negative LisaMissouri (1 review) On May 1, 2008, LisaMissouri Fredericktown, MO wrote: We placed an order of over $100.00 last fall..........They shipped most of them after the ground was frozen.........I have one little plant who survived which I nursed in the kitchen window all winter long........This company charges a great price for their plants.........What they did send did not survive except for my phlox, nursed in the window........They charge double what Parks does and do not deliver, or even have the decency to communicate with you.......... I will never order from them again.........or Parks for that matter.....................This company is the WORST ever company I have ever dealt with...........They need to be put out of business as far as I am concerned.......They take our hard earned dollars and do NOT deliver............I am reporting them to the Better Business Bureau. Lisa Company representative comment on May 6, 2008: On May 6, 2008 11:12 AM, Wayside Gardens added: I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available. Jay Johnson Customer Contact Representative [e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com] Neutral RunningTexan (1 review) On April 28, 2008, RunningTexan Crandall, TX wrote: THANK Y'ALL SOOOOOOO MUCH!!! I ordered from Wayside last week BEFORE I found this page. I happened across this page last night and bristled because I'm currently re-landscaping my yard. I found wayside and the pictures looked so wonderful so I ordered over $275 worth of plants. But, I was able to cancel my order this morning because it hadn't yet shipped. But I'm a bit concerned on whether or not they'll actually credit my card back like they said they would. I appreciate your candid feedback and am so happy I was able to cancel the order prior to them shipping out my stuff. Company representative comment on May 6, 2008: On May 6, 2008 11:12 AM, Wayside Gardens added: I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available. Jay Johnson Customer Contact Representative [e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com] Negative maureen1952 (3 reviews) On April 27, 2008, maureen1952 Worcester, MA wrote: I bought two amyrillis bulbs - a buy one/get one and said i only wanted them if they were deliveredin in the fall. i was assured that was not a problem. I just received them this week and when i questioned them they said the bulbs can be planted in either spring or fall, which missed the point completely. One tage clearly states for fall planting, no mention of spring, anyway. Then they told me to send them back for a refund. So who pays for the postage? And are there no other options? Just really rude and disrespectful, not to mention lying about the delivery date. it's not that i don't want the bulbs, i just want them when they told me I would get them. Company representative comment on May 6, 2008: On May 6, 2008 11:13 AM, Wayside Gardens added: I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available. Jay Johnson Customer Contact Representative [e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com] Negative lwkbriggs (3 reviews) On April 27, 2008, lwkbriggs Dunkirk, NY (Zone 6b) wrote: I swore off this company last year, but relented when I thought that they were the only ones that carried the McCartney Rose. I have since found another source. Last year I ordered this rose for my uncle in Nebraska. They shipped it to his home in Northern Wisconsin. Not the address I gave them. How they got that mixed up I'll never know, because I didn't even have that address. He planted it there because he had no other choice, and I am sure it has not survived the winter in that zone. This year they substituted Queen Elizabeth Rose for the McCartney. NOTHING ALIKE. I ordered it because of it's incredible fragrance. I was at one time (before I knew better) a good customer of this company. I will never order from them again. Lisa Company representative comment on May 6, 2008: On May 6, 2008 11:13 AM, Wayside Gardens added: I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available. Jay Johnson Customer Contact Representative [e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com] Neutral blondie1980 (1 review) On April 26, 2008, blondie1980 Brooklyn, NY wrote: In late January 2008, I placed an order for twenty plants with Wayside Gardens (Order No. 5023777). All were to be shipped the following spring. As of today, only three (rosebushes) have shipped, and that was several weeks ago. Although they were planted with painstaking care, only two appear to be sprouting leaves. The third has shown no sign of growth at all. I've contacted Wayside three times now: twice by phone and once directly by email, using Mr. Johnson's address as posted on these forums. Both times I called I've been given entirely different answers. I've also left my number and have been promised that a supervisor would return my call; no one has. I do not expect a response to the email, but as the spring planting season grows shorter every day, I am increasingly anxious to receive my ordered plants. I wish I'd read the reviews here before ordering so much from Wayside Gardens. I still hope that they'll contact me and resolve this matter to my satisfaction, but after seeing this site, I'm not holding my breath. It's been an unfortunately expensive lesson to learn, but that will teach me not to research a company before doing business with them. And the fact that they charged my card before shipping the product (Is that even legal?) should have been a huge red flag. Upon resolution of this matter, I will happily change my review to a positive one. Until then, I cannot recommend Wayside Gardens to anyone. On May 4th, 2008, blondie1980 changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: UPDATE (May 4, 2008): Several hours after I posted the above comment, a very friendly woman named Beverly called from Wayside's customer service department. After hearing my story, she promised to ship the remaining plants (sans two varieties that weren't currently in stock) immediately via second-day shipping. The plants arrived as promised and I was able to plant them successfully. One frail little hosta seedling came with a tag declaring it "dormant, not dead!" which I find doubtful, but we'll see. The other plants were in decent condition although several of the stems were nearly snapped in two, thanks to the careless packing job (styrofoam peanuts around bare seedlings!). I'm not impressed by the quality of the plants, and I am still waiting on two rose bushes and a camellia, but to Wayside's credit, I have received the bulk of my order. Although Beverly was very professional and courteous, the general headaches and low quality of the product (seedlings advertised as mature plants, broken stems, diseased leaves, poor packing, one rose bush that has completely failed to leaf out even after 6 weeks of meticulous care, etc.) will keep me from using Wayside again. In future I will stick to local nurseries whose products I can inspect before buying--and take home the same day. Caveat emptor. Positive govinda8 (2 reviews) On April 16, 2008, govinda8 New Orleans, LA wrote: I ordered several gaillardia, echinacea, helleborus, and a spirea bush, and everything arrived intact back in March. The plants were all quite small when they arrived but are now blooming and gorgeous. I will order from Wayside again despite the price. Positive Oksana102888 (1 review) On April 16, 2008, Oksana102888 Arlington, MA wrote: I have ordered 3 plants last fall and, except for "Knockout rose", two other did not survive the winter, which was very upsetting. "Citronella" arrived very thin and anemic and didn't make it. About 10 days ago I emailed to Wayside gardens telling them this and without a word and no additional questions asked - I received a replacement yesterday. Small but healthy looking plant. Thanks, I was prepared for a lengthy back-and-fourth communication and you pleasantly surprised me. I definetely will order again from your company. Negative lizdudley (1 review) On April 15, 2008, lizdudley Newport, PA wrote: I decided a year ago, after a series of bad experiences with Wayside, never to order from them or Park Seeks again. So it was much to my surprise, on April 3, 2008, when I received a box from them. Upon opening it, I found a $14.95 plant, with the usual broken main leaves. I called their customer service just to confirm what I figured and sure enough it was ordered on April 3, 2007. "Well, it was set for spring delivery!" the customer service representative said. Well, that sure explains it, it could be sent one year after it's ordered or ten years, as long as it's a spring delivery. Neutral 3margaritas (2 reviews) On April 15, 2008, 3margaritas San Pablo, CA wrote: I ordered 3 "Becky" shasta daisies. The shipping was very slow, but the plants arrived in good condition. The size of the plants was a little small, but they were healthy, moist, and well packaged (one was a little yellow on the bottom, but not anything serious that couldn't be corrected with proper planting and care). They have their first blooms after about 4 weeks in the ground and are thriving. I would have to agree that the cost of the plants was too high for what I received. Would I use them again? I probably would for plants that are hard to find elsewhere. Negative iris28 (3 reviews) On April 12, 2008, iris28 Owensboro, KY (Zone 6a) wrote: order number 5210692 on april 1 i ordered 5 rose bushes and a black gamecock iris a calla lilly and a primula black lace , 3 of the rose bushes came climbing moonlight and 2 carefree marvel .they were the most pathetic rose bushes ive ever seen , the climber only had 1 cane , the shrubs had 3 and 2 canes respectively the one with 3 had a broken one so really it had 2. luckily i got those in time to cancel the other 2 that i ordered , i have yet to recive a refund which i was told would take a month . we will see if i get that. when i called to complain i was issued a replacement for the moonlight , which will be as crappy im sure. then i asked about where the other items were i was ld "they were being inspected " by the blind inspectors that sent me a 15 dollar stick they call dormant. my other stuff just got shipped aside from the black lace which is back orderd . my mom also ordered from them and hers was about 50-50 , there are still items backordered on hers. all the plants that were ok were way over priced , we saw way better stuff at walmart for 1/3 the price ,i will be tossing or using their catolog in my birdcage from now on ! Negative kbedit (6 reviews) On April 11, 2008, kbedit Arvada, CO wrote: Wayside: You need to update your zone range for Ilex "Sky Pencil." This particular ilex does NOT survive Zone 5 winters. I ordered a Sky Pencil from you about 2 years ago (planted in the spring); I wasn't too thrilled with the size of the plant (too small for the price), but it was a beautiful little specimen. After 2 successive cold winters (with adequate snowfall), the little leaves are now gray and freeze-dried, with the main stem and branches showing no signs of life. In researching this particular ilex on other Web sites, they all indicate a minimum of Zone 6. Please do the same. P.S. Jay Johnson: You've got to have one of the most thankless jobs in the USA. My condolences. Negative taylors711 (1 review) On April 10, 2008, taylors711 Spokane, WA wrote: Last April we ordered two items from Parks Seeds and three from Wayside. One item from Wayside grew and thrived. Although they were planted according to directions within an hour of their arrival, the clematis and climbing rose did not grow. Orders 4640403, 4767997, and 4640342. I have e-mailed and called to receive replacements, but have been told that the warrantee is expired since I did not call last summer. I guess I was wrong to wait until appropriate shipping time. I have read the warantee in your catalogs and online; I see no mention of this caveat. I am very disappointed. I have been ordering--especially from Wayside--for many years with no difficulty. I do not believe that I have ever asked for a replacement. I have had items fail, but they have always grown first. You may remove my name from your mailing list. Jan Taylor 711 W. Glass Ave. Spokane, WA 99205 Negative mdelauro (1 review) On April 9, 2008, mdelauro Troy, PA wrote: BORDERLINE BAIT AND SWITCH. INCOMPLETE ORDER FROM LAST SUMMER WITH REMAINING CREDIT ACKNOWLEDGED BY WAYSIDE BUT NOT HONORED. I had an incomplete order with Wayside Gardens from last summer with a balance of $45.40. Feb 23 2008 I contacted Wayside Gardens by email and received the follow response indicating I had a balance: ________________________________________ Dear Mark, Wayside Order XXXXX81 Thank you so much for contacting us here at Wayside! We value our customers’ comments and questions very highly, and we appreciate hearing from you. In viewing your order the Miscanthus #44065 was shipped 6/18/07. The Pennisetum #43484, Ursula's Fern #0908 and the Phlox #43543 was shipped 5/23/07. The Ceratostigma #43489 was cancelled and the Ceratostigma #43568 was not available. Your were given a merchandise credit of $45.40 credit #8084186 to use on a future order. You also have an in house credit of $19.50. To redeem your credit, please call our Customer Contact department and place your order by phone. Ordering on-line will not redeem in-house credits. Again, thank you for writing to us. If you have any further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us (number and address listed below). And thanks for gardening with Wayside! Barbara Wayside Gardens Customer Contact Team 1 Garden Lane Hodges, South Carolina 29695 Telephone: 800-845-1124 Fax: 800-817-1124 [HYPERLINK@www.waysidecs.com] email: [e-mail:info@waysidecs.com] ___________________________________________ The email clearly shows I have a credit due. I recently tried to place an order with Wayside. They did not seem concerned when I called that I had a credit pending. They took my complete order and then told me I was mistaken, I had no credit due .... said another way, I did not have a refund or credit available with Wayside.....but they would be glad to take a credit card number to complete my order. The above smacks of bait and switch. I escalated my complaint to the highest level and was finally told I would have to approach my credit card company for the remaining balance. It's obviously way to late for that. Wayside Gardens is a company to avoid. I will be contacting my state attorney general about the above. Company representative comment on April 10, 2008: On Apr 10, 2008 10:55 AM, Wayside Gardens added: I have located your order and I am in the process of reviewing your information. I would like you to know that I will be contacting you via e-mail shortly. We will make every effort to resolve this issue. Jay Johnson Customer Contact Representative [e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com] Positive MistyLenz (1 review) On April 7, 2008, MistyLenz Hermanville, MS (Zone 9a) wrote: Some of you negative folks just don't get it! Wayside sells GOOD products. It is up to YOU to follow the directions. I have been a Wayside customer for over 15 years; 3 here in Mississippi and previously in Southwest Florida (which can be an interesting growing experience, to say the least). My shipments have always been as advertised, arriving when the time for planting had arrived. My biggest success has been with a yellow rose that climbs my trees. You should see these beautiful roses, trailing through the limbs. A definite attention getter. I have ordered bulbs, trees, bushes and had every success with every one. Let me clarify - I am not your typical gardner. I put it in the ground as directed, water and feed as directed, then leave the rest to God. Apparently He also approves of Wayside, knowing I really don't have much of a clue about gardening. Don't know Ph from pebbles, but stuff blooms, grows and gives me a lot of joy. So, it must be Waysides products 'cause it sure isn't me. Sweet Tea served on my porch every afternoon about 3:00. Ya all come on down. Company representative comment on April 7, 2008: On Apr 7, 2008 2:24 PM, Wayside Gardens added: We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how pleased your are with your Wayside Gardens products. Thank you! Your opinion is valued and we, of course, welcome feedback. It's customers like you who act as a reminder of why we do what we do and the importance of supplying only top quality products and offering the best service possible. Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts! Happy Gardening! Jay Johnson Customer Contact Representative [e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com] Negative haika (7 reviews) On April 3, 2008, haika Snohomish, WA wrote: I've ordered from this company many times over the years but this past year's experience has taught me that there are better options. I FINALLY received the last 2 plants in February 2008 from an order placed in early fall 2007. Problems noted: advertised shipment size (eg. 4") means nothing. I've received 2" pots that were supposed to be 4". Substitutions will be made without any notification. I order specific plants for a specific reason, and to get very expensive replacement plants that I can buy locally for 1/2 the price isn't a good option. This happened with 3 different plants in my last order. Example: A Japanese maple variety (newly introduced) was substituted with a variety I already have and can get locally. POSITIVES: Immediate refund of the price of plants if you complain...but I'm still stuck with varieties I have no use for. The bottom line is that now I toss away the frequent catalogs knowing that I'll only be frustrated. Those special new varieties will show up locally soon anyway. Positive LavenderFanatic (4 reviews) On April 3, 2008, LavenderFanatic Eaton, OH wrote: I have ordered various plants over the last 5 years or so and have never had any problem with anything from this company. All plants were nicely packed and arrived in good condition and in good health. Company representative comment on April 7, 2008: On Apr 7, 2008 2:25 PM, Wayside Gardens added: We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how pleased your are with your Wayside Gardens products. Thank you! Your opinion is valued and we, of course, welcome feedback. It's customers like you who act as a reminder of why we do what we do and the importance of supplying only top quality products and offering the best service possible. Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts! Happy Gardening! Jay Johnson Customer Contact Representative [e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com] Negative mbabbitt (4 reviews) On April 3, 2008, mbabbitt Bothell, WA wrote: I have ordered twice from this company -- but will not again. The quality has been terrible. First order 3 echinaceas, 1 was dead on arrival -- not "dormant" as they tried to argue. I then tried again this past summer and ordered 2 daylilies. They were the worst quality daylily fans I had received from any company. These were daylily fans by name only -- they were as small as you could get and still call it a daylily root -- 1 survived the winter and has 1 very tiny grow point. The other died just this week. Both were planted in very good soil. That is the last for me for Wayside or Parks when it comes to live plants. I hope they read these reviews and see what a terrible job their company is doing in terms of quality. Can you imagine the economic loss they are suffering.? On April 30th, 2008, mbabbitt added the following: The company rep, Jay, did his best to rectify my order, replacing in duplicate my order and including a 3 plant bonus of butterfly weed (asclepias tuberosa). I must thank him sincerely for his efforts. But -- and this is the important part -- the daylilies received, although larger than the previous plants (they could not have been smaller) were still comically small -- imagine a daylily plant being called a "fan" technically but being the size of a pencil with 3 leaves 2 of which were whitish green with a root "mass" the size of a pinky. One variety was like this -- both specimens -- and I will see if they actually make it. I might just replace them from a good daylily supplier. The other variety specimens were greener and slightly larger. If you then buy from another but decent supplier, you will be shocked that you actually get a daylily "fan" that will grow with no coaxing. The actual grower/suppliers of these plants should be ashamed to send these throwaways. Amazingly bad quality for such a price. Wayside should be avoided in the daylily area for sure. Make your own judgements from others experiences here as to other potential plants purchases. Company representative comment on April 3, 2008: On Apr 3, 2008 1:12 PM, Wayside Gardens added: I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available. Jay Johnson Customer Contact Representative [e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com] Neutral cpgeorge (3 reviews) On March 30, 2008, cpgeorge Natick, MA wrote: I bought a Astrantia Roma for $9.95. The picture on the website was very pretty. I knew i was being sent a bareroot but when it came in the mail and i opened the rather large box it was sent in i was suprised at what i saw. It is about 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch yellow looking straw. I hope that when i plant this something will grow. What a dissapointment. I did contact them and they told me that if it didn't grow to call them and they would replace it. My thought was i was getting alittle more for the money i spent and i'm not thrilled with having to plant twice. Negative Asuquita819 (2 reviews) On March 28, 2008, Asuquita819 Bethlehem, PA wrote: My December 3, 2007 order (order number 4968684) and my other order (order number 5040363) total over $150. I am zone 6, which Wayside's Web site indicates they begin shipping for on March 17.After 11 days, my orders have not arrived, and each time I call for my order status I am given different explanations for the delay. The first time I called Wayside, around March 20, I was told that each of my orders were ready with the exception of one plant. I was told that as soon as the back order plants came in, these orders would be sent out, and that should happen within a few days. The second time I called, around March 25, I was told that each of my orders were ready, except for one plant from each order, BUT it was NOT the same plants that were supposedly missing the first time I called. When I questioned this, I was told that the order 4968684 would be sent out Friday (today) and the back ordered plant would be sent out seperately when it came in. Also, I was told my other order 5040363 was going to be shipped out around April 2, due to the back ordered plant. I checked my order status today(Friday 3/28) and it shows not ready yet, so I called again. This time I was told my order was not sent yet, because they ship to zone 6 toward the last week in March. Their Website says zone 6 begins on March 17. So, now I have no clue as to the REAL reason my order is held up, the estimate of when they will be sent, or why the available plants cannot be sent now. All plants I ordered from other companies have already arrived. Needless to say, I am very disappointed not only in the shipment of my orders, but also in the differing explanations from the representatives I spoke with. On March 29th, 2008, Asuquita819 added the following: I meant that last sentence to state that the only orders I am disappointed with were the ones from Wayside Garden. On March 29th, 2008, Asuquita819 added the following: This afternoon I was contacted by Wayside Gardens, by a person stating she was a supervisor named Lisa. Lisa informed me that although the Web site for Wayside shows zone 6 deliveries go out the week of March 17, they actually go by a different USDA guide that says zone six cannot get shipments started until Mid through Late April. She could not explain why the Web site has a one month earlier listing for zone 6 shipments. Wayside Gardens has shown very unethical practices in the processing of my orders and in the following the advertised policies and in their constantly changing explanations for the delayed orders. I will definitely never order from here again, and positively do not recommend Wayside Gardens to anyone. On April 7th, 2008, Asuquita819 added the following: I included my order numbers in my first post. It is kind of telling when a company cannot access your order to help you, based on your order number. I am tired of waiting and getting different excuses, so I have canceled my order. Was told I should get the refund after a month. It is hard to "get a plant to bloom" if it is never sent.. Company representative comment on April 3, 2008: On Apr 3, 2008 1:17 PM, Wayside Gardens added: I have reviewed your above posting and I am seeking the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, the information contained within was not sufficient to locate your order in our database. In order to rectify the problem I must request that you e-mail us with your billing information, including zip code and order number if available. Jay Johnson Customer Contact Representative [e-mail:JJohnson@parkseed.com] Negative trzrhntr (2 reviews) On March 27, 2008, trzrhntr Mapleton, OR wrote: I dealt with Park Seed and was disappointed with seed germination and plant quality. Less than a third of the different seeds produced any seedlings and the plants shipped, not well or timely, are seedlings, not plants. Their catalog prices are O.K. but the size of the seedlings shipped are much smaller than anything that you would see at a nursery for the same price. They pack with styrofoam peanuts that damage the tiny seedlings. To be specific: Last spring I placed, what I consider a large order for seeds ($65.81). Of the entire order only $17.95 worth of seeds actually grew. I had a record of all the seeds and their locations on my garden plan so I know which ones did not germinate. I do admit some were listed in their sale section but I would not have ordered them had I known they were on sale because they were not expected to germinate. The next order I placed was for three of the same kind of bush. Two were for gifts and the other for myself. All of them arrived in terrible condition and quite small. They told me that they would give a credit on my next order. It was too late for spring by the time I got them, so I ordered plants for the fall. Three of the four arrived late in the fall and the fourth did not arrive until this spring, although it was supposed to be planted in the fall. All of them were tiny, much smaller than I ever see at the local nursery at the same or lower price there. This last one arrived completely out of the pot and all dried out. I do not know if it will survive. I keep receiving their beautiful new catalogs and I am tempted to order but I remember my past experience and others' customer service issues about these companies on this gardening forum. Positive veryblessed (8 reviews) On March 26, 2008, veryblessed Morehead, KY wrote: I have ordered from Parks both as a wholesale and retail customer for years. As far as shipping and germination I really dont have a problem, I do however think there are cheaper sources of seed out there. I guess if I had a complaint it would be the foil seed packets. They seem to create a static, and it is very difficult to get the seeds out especially if you want to sow 1/2 now and 1/2 later. On March 26th, 2008, veryblessed added the following: Sorry, This was for Parks not Wayside...But they are one in the same anyway. I did just receive some pretty expensive plants from Wayside. For the price I think there are better mail order choices out there as well, many in the Watchdog Top 30. The plants seem to be OK, one or two are still dormant, so we will see. Negative MGinTraining (3 reviews) On March 25, 2008, MGinTraining Norwalk, OH (Zone 5b) wrote: Absolutely Negative! I ordered a set of three special buddleia plants for my inlaws birthday presents. Okay, they were pricey, but these were ones I had not found elsewhere, specific choices of my inlaws. The timing of arrival needed to be particular as they were headed out of town for a couple weeks of traveling and thus unable to plant promptly. I indicated this to the rep who assured me all would be well. A little time went by, trip got close, no plants. I called. This person said they do not do specific shipping times. I repeated what I had been told by the other person and gave her name. It didn't matter. I was assured that they would send them ASAP. More time went by, inlaws were leaving for their trip next day. I called again. Yet another person, yet another excuse, this time a problem with one of the items being in stock. They were sold as a set of three -- how could one not be in stock?? I agreed to wait and see if the plants arrived by the time they returned. Well, it got to be late September and still NO plants, still no idea of when the last plant would be "available," still no offers of any other options, when I called the last time. My inlaws live in Michigan. The time for safe planting was PAST. I canceled the order and vowed never to use any of their companies again. Buyer Beware BIG TIME! Sad, really. I used to order from Parks about 16 years ago and had great results from their seeds. I am sorry to know they have gone down so far. They used to be a really good company! Negative epan (1 review) On March 25, 2008, epan Califon, NJ wrote: Last March I ordered 5 different plants from Wayside. I recieved only 3. I was never notified that the others wouldn't be coming. In ordering again this spring to use my credit with them, another negative event occurred: a $2.00 charge was suddenly added to my shipping fee at the very end of the internet order. Registering that the credit was being used to pay for the whole order appeared to have initiated the extra charge. Positive plantoid (4 reviews) On March 23, 2008, plantoid Castro Valley, CA (Zone 9b) wrote: I have been doing business with Wayside for the last 2 years. I bought a couple of tree-form wisterias. The shipped plants were only 2-feet tall, whereas the description in their catalog stated the trees had 4-feet tall trunks. I called Wayside to complain and the lady on the phone was very nice and offered me a very sizable partial refund. I also ordered a climbing wisteria vine but the vine was baby size 2-inch tall rootings in a 4-in pot. Had I known they were that immature I would not have ordered. It would take them years to bloom. I also just ordered 2 Bartzella peonies. I was hooked by the "very low" price of $40. There was no mention of the number of eyes the plants had. When they arrived I was shocked to see that they were 1-eye baby plants, but it was not entirely Wayside's fault. I should have paid attention to the "4-inch pot" size in the description. But I think Wayside should have been more explicit in stating these are 1-eye plants that may take years to bloom. A Clematis I ordered last year was DOA and I called Wayside to report it after almost nine months after the plant arrived. The lady on the phone was very nice ordered a replacement plant for me free of charge. I would have to say I am very happy with Wayside's customer service. The customer service ladies are top-notch. But I am not too happy with the immature size of many of the plants from Wayside. When you order, you have to really read the fine print. When the catalog description on Wayside states "4-inch pots" it always means you are buying baby-sized plants that will take years to bloom. If you take that into account, the plants are overpriced. Overall, I rating of Wayside is between positive to neutral. I am being generous and give a positive rating for the good customer service I received despite the quality of the plants. Positive garden_king (1 review) On March 21, 2008, garden_king Waterloo, SC wrote: ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CALL AND DEMAND TO SPEAK TO BILL, HE IS MOST HELPFUL, HE ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT THE CUSTOMER, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, HE MAKES IT RIGHT, YOU MAY HAVE TO CALL REPEATEDLY TO GET HIM, BUT HE IS THE ONLY PERSON THERE WHO HAS A CLUE WHAT IS GOING ON AND ACTUALLY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I HAD SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH AN ORDER AND LUCKILY GOT HIM ON THE PHONE AND HE FIXED EVERYTHING, THEY OVERNIGHTED ME MORE SEEDS AND A LITTLE BONZAI TREE AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION AS WELL AS SOME OUTBACK GIFT CERTIFICATES. (I WILL SAY MY ORDER WAS $400) Negative kicourtyard (2 reviews) On March 15, 2008, kicourtyard San Jose, CA wrote: I wish I checked this web site but I didn’t know until I got rotten low quality bulbs. I ordered 6 (x 15) Lily-of-the-valley bulbs. Each bag was supposed to contain 15 bulbs but many of them tangled so I could not separate them. One bag contained a half of rotten bulbs. So I contacted them and they send me another bag of bulbs. However, only 2 out of 15 were healthy, 1 was marginal, and the rest was rotten. As a result, I could only plant 3 out of supposedly 15. The quality of their bulbs and the shipping method were very questionable. Therefore, I am asking them to get my money back. I paid for 90 bulbs and I got less than 40 healthy bulbs. Very frustrated and unhappy! Negative urania1 (1 review) On March 10, 2008, urania1 Maryville, TN wrote: Alas, Had I only discovered this website before I ordered from Wayside Gardens. I placed an order with Wayside Gardens over a week ago and requested two-day shipping. I did not hear from the company, nor did I receive the promised confirmation e-mail. I called Wayside Gardens. I was told my order had been placed and would be shipped the following Monday. The following Monday (that's today), I checked the status of my order. It had not shipped. I called the company again. This time I was told that my order would ship at some indeterminate time in the future. How this indeterminate time matches up with a two-day shipping order (advertised on the website for an additional seven dollars over the original shipping fee) is beyond me. This information was also distinctly different from what I had been told the previous week. When I requested that the order be canceled, I was told that it would take thirty days for the money which had already been debited from my credit card to be credited back to me. Given the speed of electronic transfers, I fail to understand why Wayside Gardens can immediately withdraw that money from my account, but cannot return it with the same speed. When I requested a confirmation e-mail providing me with the exact date that I might hope to see this credit, I was told this was not possible. I asked to be transferred to the department in charge of carrying out this task. I was told this was not possible. I asked to speak to the representative's supervisor. She, alas, had gone on walkabout. I think I shall contact South Carolina's Better Business Bureau. Based on the comments I've seen here, Wayside Gardens appears to be all too comfortable with this method of doing business. Let me add that I have never before been billed by a company before an order is shipped. And I'm still waiting for the original confirmation e-mail. Negative suscwbuff (3 reviews) On March 3, 2008, suscwbuff Robesonia, PA wrote: I placed an order with Wayside in February of 2007. I received some of the plants over the course of several months but geraniums and a clematis never arrived. Of course I was charged for these plants over a year ago. Going through papers last week I realized I never received them and called Wayside. I was told that the geraniums were to ship this spring but there was a substitution for the clematis. I have told Wayside in the past I don't want substitutions. The rep told me she could cancel the substitution but since it was such a small amount I would be issued a Wayside credit. I'm sure if I bought an item for 12.99 they would have no problem charging my card so what is so difficult crediting my credit card. There is something wrong when a company has your money for over a year, doesn't send the plants, and then refuses to refund money when it can't deliver. I have had problems with Wayside's plants and service for the past 3 years but figured it was just me. If I would have known about this website I could have saved myself lots of money and frustration. Negative cynthsmthrmn (5 reviews) On March 2, 2008, cynthsmthrmn Gilmer, TX (Zone 7b) wrote: I seldom order from Wayside gardens anymore because they are overpriced, in my opinion, for the small seedlings that arrive. However, at times they have been the only source of a particular item and I find myself giving them another chance. Of the many times that I have ordered from this company, I have only been completely satisfied once. Last fall, I had two separate orders. Four items were backordered. I know this only because they were marked so on the packing slip with the items that I received. This spring I called to find out when my back-ordered items would ship. Three of the four items were cancelled and a store credit issued with no notification to me. I will not purchase another item until their customer service and plants improve. It really is too bad…they have some lovely plants advertised.

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